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Jul 6, 2011
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good morning to those here, good evening in afghanistan. i'd like to welcome pack to the pentagon briefing room, army lieutenant general david rodriguez. he's commander of the international security assistance force joint command, also known as i.j.c. and also the deputy commander of the united states forces afghanistan. general rodriguez's current tour began in june, 2009, he became the first commander of the i.j.c. in october of that year. prior to that, general rodriguez was commander of regional command east for 15 months from january, 2007 to april, 2008. next week after two straight years in command and more than 40 months in after gap stan over the past 4 1/2 year, general rodriguez is ski wruled to change command and return stateside to have u.s. army forces command. the general most recently joined us here in person last february and we're very grate to feel see him this morning via satellite for an update on operations before he changes command. with that, general, i'll return it to you. >> good morning, dave. thank you for that i
good morning to those here, good evening in afghanistan. i'd like to welcome pack to the pentagon briefing room, army lieutenant general david rodriguez. he's commander of the international security assistance force joint command, also known as i.j.c. and also the deputy commander of the united states forces afghanistan. general rodriguez's current tour began in june, 2009, he became the first commander of the i.j.c. in october of that year. prior to that, general rodriguez was commander of...
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Jul 7, 2011
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is the afghanistan central government introducing the rule of law? have we not already defeated al qaeda? and so who are we fighting and why? for $10 billion a month, mr. speaker, our expectations as taxpayers, as americans, as members of congress should be high. is it too much to think that $10 billion a month to buy a stable ally, ally capable of standing on its own two feet, taking responsibility for its own security and having respect for the rule of law? instead, corruption and chaos are ruling the day in kabul. basic government institutions are failing to provide services. president karzai has tried to establish a special court, in fact, for the purpose of stripping 62 members of parliament of their seats and the financial system is teetering on the brink of collapse. with the head of the central bank fleeing the country and accusing karzai's regime of fraud and cronism. just a few days ago, mr. speaker, a brawl broke out on the floor of the afghanistan parliament with one member throwing a shoe at another member when a motion was proposed to i
is the afghanistan central government introducing the rule of law? have we not already defeated al qaeda? and so who are we fighting and why? for $10 billion a month, mr. speaker, our expectations as taxpayers, as americans, as members of congress should be high. is it too much to think that $10 billion a month to buy a stable ally, ally capable of standing on its own two feet, taking responsibility for its own security and having respect for the rule of law? instead, corruption and chaos are...
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Jul 6, 2011
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i just returned from a trip to afghanistan. i cannot describe how impressed i am with the commitment, the dedication and the work carried out every single day by our men and women in uniform and those in the civilian services. i met and spoke with them in kabul, bases and air force bases and small villages. quite simply, they are incredible. but over and over and over again, i heard the same message, this is not sustainable. the strategy that we are pursuing in afghanistan is not sustainable and it is costing us too much in human lives and financial resources to continue. it can't continue for another 18 months as called for by the president, let alone even longer. i stand here tonight more convinced than ever that it is time to forge a new path, a new strategy, built upon past and present accomplishments and more aggressively focused on reducing the military footprint in afghanistan than the plan described by the president last month, accelerating the transition of combat operations and intense international and regional effor
i just returned from a trip to afghanistan. i cannot describe how impressed i am with the commitment, the dedication and the work carried out every single day by our men and women in uniform and those in the civilian services. i met and spoke with them in kabul, bases and air force bases and small villages. quite simply, they are incredible. but over and over and over again, i heard the same message, this is not sustainable. the strategy that we are pursuing in afghanistan is not sustainable...
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Jul 22, 2011
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seniors or putting doubt into the minds of our military while they're dodging bullets in places like afghanistan. we'd have confidence. but instead he says he can't guarantee. mr. speaker, we know he can. we know he can guarantee. we should push that on him out of this house to let him know where we stand, so the american people understand there is a moral standard here. one is, tell the truth. the second moral standard is, pay our military, the other moral standard is guarantee the full faith and credit of the united states government. i laid out the rest of these priorities, mr. speaker and cut, cap, and balance is an important position to stand on. the leverage that's here now must be used or we shirk our responsibility. had the leverage been stronger back in 1995, that extra vote in the senate that i spoke about some minutes ago would have been there, i believe and i believe the balanced budget amendment would have been sent to the states and i believe the states would have ratified it and if that had been part of the constitution the kay i came -- the day i came here in january of 2003 i wo
seniors or putting doubt into the minds of our military while they're dodging bullets in places like afghanistan. we'd have confidence. but instead he says he can't guarantee. mr. speaker, we know he can. we know he can guarantee. we should push that on him out of this house to let him know where we stand, so the american people understand there is a moral standard here. one is, tell the truth. the second moral standard is, pay our military, the other moral standard is guarantee the full faith...
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Jul 13, 2011
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during its nine-year war in afghanistan. public polls are clear, americans know the cost of the war in afghanistan is unsustainable and want us to withdraw as soon as possible. when it comes to cutting back on support for the neediest americans, we can't seem to face the urgent reality that the money that we spend abroad needs to be spent here at home. the financial facts tell the story, taxpayers in my district in seattle have spent $1.1 trillion -- billion for afghanistan war to date. think about that. one city, $1.1 billion. for the same amount of money we could provide health care for 700,000 children from low-income families or put 125,000 kids in head start or health care for 150,000 more veterans. imagine how different it would be if states like wisconsin which faces a $3.6 billion budget deficit did not have to bear the cost of the war in afghanistan. so the question before us is simple, what is our priority? fighting a war with no end? or investing in the american people? the answer lies in what kind of country we a
during its nine-year war in afghanistan. public polls are clear, americans know the cost of the war in afghanistan is unsustainable and want us to withdraw as soon as possible. when it comes to cutting back on support for the neediest americans, we can't seem to face the urgent reality that the money that we spend abroad needs to be spent here at home. the financial facts tell the story, taxpayers in my district in seattle have spent $1.1 trillion -- billion for afghanistan war to date. think...
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Jul 14, 2011
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in afghanistan we spend $325 billion -- million a day and in iraq we've spent about $100 million a day. that's almost $1 billion a day. we're talking about $950 -- almost $1 billion in light rail. we can both be right and smart and compassionate if we do the right thing. in our budgeting process we should have an unexpected fund for unforeseen circumstances, we should have learned from katrina. we're looking at probably about $4 billion in term of army corps of engineers. i think our leaderships need to get together and just say that we can do this without fighting among each other, without making each other wrong. because that's wrong. in the eyes of the public, they want us to do the job that needs to get done and have our leadership do that. and so my plea is that we can be fiscally responsible and we can be compassionate and we do that with good planning and good budgeting process, including having contingency funds that should have been there. and so we have an opportunity right now to show the public that we can do all these things and still come out winners for those who need th
in afghanistan we spend $325 billion -- million a day and in iraq we've spent about $100 million a day. that's almost $1 billion a day. we're talking about $950 -- almost $1 billion in light rail. we can both be right and smart and compassionate if we do the right thing. in our budgeting process we should have an unexpected fund for unforeseen circumstances, we should have learned from katrina. we're looking at probably about $4 billion in term of army corps of engineers. i think our...
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Jul 11, 2011
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were it not for kazakhstan, we would not be able to do things militarily to support our troops in afghanistan and iraq. i view this, i think it bears close watching, but there is a perception that somehow we're giving our china, india, brazil and other countries an advantage. i view this program as a two-way street. it does provide a degree of access to american companies and so i would be also reluctant -- i reluctantly oppose your amendment but i can assure you that both of us feel very strongly that it bears watching. it has borne some fruit. mr. frelinghuysen: it's not money wasted, it's not money given away to competitors. thank you for yielding. mr. visclosky: but again, i think it draws attention that we should be closely monitoring these funds. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from fey rise? >> i move to strike the last word. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. broun: i'd like to yield to dr. harris from maryland. mr. harris: let me briefly address this so we can move on. we only cut $6 million out of the $8 million. there
were it not for kazakhstan, we would not be able to do things militarily to support our troops in afghanistan and iraq. i view this, i think it bears close watching, but there is a perception that somehow we're giving our china, india, brazil and other countries an advantage. i view this program as a two-way street. it does provide a degree of access to american companies and so i would be also reluctant -- i reluctantly oppose your amendment but i can assure you that both of us feel very...
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Jul 7, 2011
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and afghanistan prohibiting afghanistan from taxing u.s. subcontractors doing work in afghanistan. so this ban on levying taxes would apply to all subcontractors that may not have direct contracts with afghanistan. in other words, if a company is working on a project funded by the u.s. department of defense, whether that company is a prime contractor or subcontractor, that company should not be subject to taxes from the afghan government. seems pretty simple. these are the contractors doing the work of rebuilding in afghanistan, helping rebuild the infrastructure and hopefully allowing them to one day thrive independently. common sense and financial prudentens says the u.s. should not be subject to taxation for the rebuilding efforts it is paying for. and that was what we were getting at with this amendment. mr. kingston: i think the point that you have raised is a very valid point and something that's very good discussion matter. unfortunately, we believe that it is authorizing an appropriation as the chair has confirmed. but that probably, the concern far more than the philosophi
and afghanistan prohibiting afghanistan from taxing u.s. subcontractors doing work in afghanistan. so this ban on levying taxes would apply to all subcontractors that may not have direct contracts with afghanistan. in other words, if a company is working on a project funded by the u.s. department of defense, whether that company is a prime contractor or subcontractor, that company should not be subject to taxes from the afghan government. seems pretty simple. these are the contractors doing the...
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Jul 4, 2011
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hard to say what is coming, in afghanistan. because we do not know what the war is going to look like when there are fewer and nato troops and more afghan troops taking over the day-to-day responsibilities for security. >> freelance video journalist david axe was embedded with be in nato forces in january and february of this year. to see this video again or others like it, you can go to our website -- c-span.org. click on video library and type "david axe" in the search box. >> the senate was scheduled to take a break for the holiday, but majority leader reid decided to have the senate come back tomorrow. tomorrow, a vote on moving the with the resolution for work at 5:00 -- for work at 5:00. the house returns on wednesday at 2:00 eastern. the most work this week will be on defense spending for 2012. also, the national flood insurance program. neihaus is live on c-span and the senate on c-span2. >> today on c-span. the dalai lama and martin luther king's speech writer speak on non-violence. discuss osama bin laden's death, the
hard to say what is coming, in afghanistan. because we do not know what the war is going to look like when there are fewer and nato troops and more afghan troops taking over the day-to-day responsibilities for security. >> freelance video journalist david axe was embedded with be in nato forces in january and february of this year. to see this video again or others like it, you can go to our website -- c-span.org. click on video library and type "david axe" in the search box....
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Jul 8, 2011
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while i think those funds are an important part of the strategy for long-term success in afghanistan, i think the highest and best use of a very small part of that money is to help our national guard and reserve combat veterans get back on their feet again. my amendment would use about 1.5% for that purpose, which i think is reasonable. in exchange for about 1.5% of what we are about to provide to help the afghans take care of themselves we can provide a 125% increase in support for those american soldiers and their families who make it all possible. i think that's a pretty good deal. finally, my amendment will not in any way delay final passage of this important passage. if adopted we move to a straight final vote on passage of this legislation. i want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their service and for their work on this bill. i think my amendment will have virtually no adverse impact on what we're trying to do for afghanistan, but it will have a huge positive impact on meeting the need of our combat veterans and their families. i hope that's something we can all
while i think those funds are an important part of the strategy for long-term success in afghanistan, i think the highest and best use of a very small part of that money is to help our national guard and reserve combat veterans get back on their feet again. my amendment would use about 1.5% for that purpose, which i think is reasonable. in exchange for about 1.5% of what we are about to provide to help the afghans take care of themselves we can provide a 125% increase in support for those...
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number one, there's very little local government infrastructure in afghanistan. the fact that we build a road or a school doesn't mean there's a government or authority to maintain it. so we build something, the moment we turn the keys over it falls into disuse and disrepair. second, the expense of doing this is enormous. you know, it may make sense to to these civic projects that do create some good will, but to do them, mr. speaker, in a middle of a shooting war or is it better to do it before or after the war when you have a chance to -- for this implementation to occur? third, there's an immense amount of ripping off of money from the american taxpayer. it goes -- it gets lost, it gets picked up. it's too rampant in afghanistan. so according to a report in "the washington post," and, mr. speaker, i will be asking you to submit "the washington post" in the record, half of this money, minimum of $400 million, has gone missing. it's wasted and it's coming out of our taxpayer pockets. our amendment, my amendment would cut in half the $400 million, reduce it to $0
number one, there's very little local government infrastructure in afghanistan. the fact that we build a road or a school doesn't mean there's a government or authority to maintain it. so we build something, the moment we turn the keys over it falls into disuse and disrepair. second, the expense of doing this is enormous. you know, it may make sense to to these civic projects that do create some good will, but to do them, mr. speaker, in a middle of a shooting war or is it better to do it...
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Jul 28, 2011
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right now we borrow $10 billion every month for military operations in afghanistan alone to prop up a corrupt and incompetent karzai government. how about ending wasteful subsidies to big agriculture companies? how about asking billionaire hedge fund managers to pay the same tax rates as their secretaries? the truth is that the best way to deal with our long-term fiscal situation is to grow our economy. that means creating jobs and putting people back to work. the last election i thought was about jobs. we haven't talked about jobs at all since the new republican majority became -- came to power. that means investing in things like education and infrastructure and green technology and medical research. that's the kind of economic future the american people deserve. the boehner default plan would take us exactly in the wrong direction and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject it. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california has 5 1/2 minutes remaining. the gentleman is re
right now we borrow $10 billion every month for military operations in afghanistan alone to prop up a corrupt and incompetent karzai government. how about ending wasteful subsidies to big agriculture companies? how about asking billionaire hedge fund managers to pay the same tax rates as their secretaries? the truth is that the best way to deal with our long-term fiscal situation is to grow our economy. that means creating jobs and putting people back to work. the last election i thought was...
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Jul 4, 2011
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troops wounded in iraq and afghanistan. he has called on the government to -- and the private sector to spend more on victims of posttraumatic stress disorder and get them some help. he is a star who moonlights as a soldier's advocate. our speaker has questioned his own industry at times while producing films our -- producing films that portray our troops in a negative light. as one-sided, depressing, artist or made, according to a chicago times report. in a film about soldiers on the front lines in iraq and among his many awards and honors, he is a recipient of the presidential award of freedom, one of only two actors to get that and 110 people in our nation's history. he also received the medal of honor bob hope excellence in entertainment award and the harry s. truman good neighbor award. as co-founder of operation international children, he has provided school supplies to hundreds of thousands of children were u.s. troops are deployed. here today to discuss his plans to help veterans and fallen soldiers as well as their
troops wounded in iraq and afghanistan. he has called on the government to -- and the private sector to spend more on victims of posttraumatic stress disorder and get them some help. he is a star who moonlights as a soldier's advocate. our speaker has questioned his own industry at times while producing films our -- producing films that portray our troops in a negative light. as one-sided, depressing, artist or made, according to a chicago times report. in a film about soldiers on the front...
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Jul 8, 2011
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and afghanistan as a whole had seen how evil the taliban was. how much damage they could do to society as they burned paintings and books and films and totally suppressed freedom in afghanistan. they knew. these people were evil but they were afraid of them but with the united states weaponry, with our guidance and intelligence training these people defeated the taliban. what i was not aware of until we met with these folks and turns out i could have been aware, i just was not, but do you the research, you find out, the bush administration convinced the northern alliance, ok, now that you've whipped the taliban you need to totally disarm. because we're the united states and we're here and we'll make sure nothing happens to you again. well, the northern alliance messed up because they trusted us and they turned in their weapons, i asked one, you turned in all your weapons? well, apparently they have some small arms, but nothing that would allow them to take on the taliban again. naturally these people were concerned because they know because they
and afghanistan as a whole had seen how evil the taliban was. how much damage they could do to society as they burned paintings and books and films and totally suppressed freedom in afghanistan. they knew. these people were evil but they were afraid of them but with the united states weaponry, with our guidance and intelligence training these people defeated the taliban. what i was not aware of until we met with these folks and turns out i could have been aware, i just was not, but do you the...
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Jul 22, 2011
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beyond afghanistan and iraq, the u.s. bases, as i said, a multitude of other strategic and institutional challenges. we must reset a stressed force, we must prepare for emerging threats, cyber attackers, nuclear proliferation, rising powers that will demand that we work towards greater transparency and better diplomacy. and we must do all we can so that we recognize that in this effort we do not have a blank check from the american people, that we will face the physical challenges that confront us, but we will do it in a way that maintains the strength of our country. based on my long experience in government and in working with budgets, i really believe that we do not have to make a choice between fiscal discipline and national security. by setting priorities based on sound strategy, based on good policy, we can focus a strong and innovative defense policy that confronts the future and deals with the threats that we will face in the future, and that focuses those resources we need at those threats of today and tomorrow.
beyond afghanistan and iraq, the u.s. bases, as i said, a multitude of other strategic and institutional challenges. we must reset a stressed force, we must prepare for emerging threats, cyber attackers, nuclear proliferation, rising powers that will demand that we work towards greater transparency and better diplomacy. and we must do all we can so that we recognize that in this effort we do not have a blank check from the american people, that we will face the physical challenges that confront...
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Jul 20, 2011
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afghanistan alone is costing $10 billion a month with the total price tag for iraq and afghanistan going back 10 years $3.2 trillion. and that's a conservative estimate, mr. speaker. these are staggering figures, especially during a recession when americans are crying out for washington to do something about creating jobs and breathing life back into our economy. and what are the taxpayers getting for their trillions of dollars in war spending? more than 6,100 dead americans, continued violence in iraq and a prime minister whose cozying up to iran and an ongoing civil war in libya. a corrupt regime in kabul, insurgents that continue to kill at will. in afghanistan, a nation still under crushing poverty and an afghan government that cannot protect its own people. by any measure these wars have been a devastating failure and yet with barely any scrutiny, barely any debate and certainly no outrage from republican leaders, we continue to write that check. meanwhile, we have domestic programs that work, proven investments in the survival and prosperity of our people. medicare, social security
afghanistan alone is costing $10 billion a month with the total price tag for iraq and afghanistan going back 10 years $3.2 trillion. and that's a conservative estimate, mr. speaker. these are staggering figures, especially during a recession when americans are crying out for washington to do something about creating jobs and breathing life back into our economy. and what are the taxpayers getting for their trillions of dollars in war spending? more than 6,100 dead americans, continued violence...
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Jul 5, 2011
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vice president biden, secretary panetta and the president discussed implementation of our strategy in afghanistan, including consolidation and training afghan security forces, the reduction of u.s. troop levels that the president announced last month and process of transitioning lead security to the afghan government. the president thanked everyone for their service and said that he looked forward to working with them closely as they take up their important positions. >> any discussions about continuing concerns about weakening of the effort? >> not in this meeting. i believe we addressed that issue. the president feels very strongly that because of the success we have had in making progress towards achieving our goals, defeating, disrupting -- dismantle and defeat, reducing the -- stopping the momentum of the taliban and training of afghan security forces, we can begin to draw down our surge forces. 10,000 this year and 30,000 next year. >> has treasury secretary geithner told the president that he would like to leave -- >> not that i'm aware of no. >> i think he will be here for the foreseeable
vice president biden, secretary panetta and the president discussed implementation of our strategy in afghanistan, including consolidation and training afghan security forces, the reduction of u.s. troop levels that the president announced last month and process of transitioning lead security to the afghan government. the president thanked everyone for their service and said that he looked forward to working with them closely as they take up their important positions. >> any discussions...
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Jul 20, 2011
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voted to carry out two wars, afghanistan and iraq. borrowed money to do it. these are past expenditures. here we are, days away from the default crisis, where our republican friends are using this moment in time, where we're not really discussing tomorrow's expenditures, we're talking about yesterday's expenditures and they're saying, give us our way our else america defaults. mr. welch: representative garamendi, i think the message from the democrats in the house of representatives is straightforward and logical. mr. tonko: we said save medicare, make it stronger. then we talk about cutting, cutting programs that don't create jobs. do those cuts where there's no jobs created. where there are, save those programs, strengthen them, provide for jobs by investing in education, in innovation, and in infrastructure. and it's very easy when you take the education investment, the infrastructure investment and certainly the education investment that equals jobs for americans. middle class americans. and that's what it's all about. if we create jobs, it drives down th
voted to carry out two wars, afghanistan and iraq. borrowed money to do it. these are past expenditures. here we are, days away from the default crisis, where our republican friends are using this moment in time, where we're not really discussing tomorrow's expenditures, we're talking about yesterday's expenditures and they're saying, give us our way our else america defaults. mr. welch: representative garamendi, i think the message from the democrats in the house of representatives is...
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Jul 18, 2011
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they're putting money in other places like to the war, places like that in afghanistan, to other wars. that is my question. guest: two interesting things your question brings up. when fdr desigd so security, he said, we're going to put it on your checks every week so you will see it being taken out and you will note it is there for you. that was very, very important to fdr and the preservation of the social safety net. also, he said, we are going to make sure that every time >> "washington journal" begins live every morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern. live to capitol hill now. oklahoma senator tom coburn is about to release his plan to cut the deficit by $9 trillion over the next decade. >> good afternoon. thank you for being here. let me first of all thank my staff, who has worked thousands of hours the last six weeks to accumulate, sifted through every agency and every program of the federal government. you are going to see in this report details like you have never seen. this is a plan, not the only plan, but it is the only plan that will put our country back on a footing in needs to be
they're putting money in other places like to the war, places like that in afghanistan, to other wars. that is my question. guest: two interesting things your question brings up. when fdr desigd so security, he said, we're going to put it on your checks every week so you will see it being taken out and you will note it is there for you. that was very, very important to fdr and the preservation of the social safety net. also, he said, we are going to make sure that every time >>...